


A Story of Mistletoe

by mountland



Category: Norse Religion & Lore
Genre: Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-08
Updated: 2013-12-08
Packaged: 2018-01-04 00:24:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,088
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1074842
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mountland/pseuds/mountland
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>At this time of year I am sure you have all heard many a tale of mistletoe, but for those who tire of dull stories of kisses stolen beneath white berries, I offer a story of betrayal, murder and revenge. Now I have your attention, and I hope you are sitting comfortably, lets begin...</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Story of Mistletoe

**Author's Note:**

> A simple retelling of some of the Norse Myths concerning Loki to make the myths and their morals relevant to the modern world.

In the land of the Gods lived Loki. He was the son of Laufey, meaning full of leaves like the forest, and the giant Farbuati, meaning dangerous striker named as such for bringing fire to the world by hitting two rocks together. 

But that was not the only way the realms were gifted with the heat, rage and warmth of fire, for Loki was the son of a spark and of leaves of which the child will always be flame.

There are many tales of Loki’s adventures but the one I tell you now is one of betrayal, hurt and anger that burns as bright and as hot as the biggest fire in all of the nine realms. However it starts in happiness and love: 

Loki married a Jotun giantess called Angrbora of the Iron Woods. Together they had three children, Fenrir carried by Angrbora, and Jormundgand and Hel carried by Loki. Jormundgand was the first born, a giant serpent, then Fenrir, a wolf pup, and the youngest was Hel who was half dead and half alive. To a stranger they may have seemed monstrous but appearances are only skin deep and the family served as a reminder that we are all children of the earth, the siblings of those who walk it with us no matter what their looks. All the children were loved and wanted by their parents, however, this happiness was not to last. For in the land of Asguard where Loki had lived the portents said that the three children would bring destruction down on Asguard and all the nine realms. 

Odin, the all father, sent for the children to be stolen away from their family and brought to him. While Loki and Anggrbora were strong and clever they could not stop the warriors of Asguard taking their children. Upon receiving the children Odin had Jormundgand thrown into the seas around Midguard. The sea is a lonely and cold place but Jormundgand survived and grew, he grew so large he could wrap around the earth and bite his own tail for it had been many years since he had felt the comfort of another’s touch and his own bite was better than nothing if it helped keep the loneliness at bay.

Hel was thrown into the land of the dead, though because of her human appearance Odin was more sympathetic to her plight than he was to her eldest brother, and so made her queen of the underworld where all those who died of age and illness would go and keep her company. With time her heart grew cold and spiteful, as she hated all those that had put her there and her family who had not come to save her. 

Fenrir was kept for some time in the great halls of Asguard, in the hope he could be tamed like the dog he resembled in the God’s minds. Yet all but Tyr, who brought him his food each day, feared his strength and anger at his captors. With time Fenrir learned to trust Tyr the God of truth, law and heroic glory. However, Odin grew restless as he saw how big Fenrir was growing and feared his strength. He had some strong iron fetters called Leyding made and hoping to trick Fenrir into captivity he challenged the son of his once blood-brother to try and break out of them, Fenrir’s first powerful kick snapped the binds in half. The Gods made a second manacle called Dromi which was twice as strong as Leyding. They told Fenrir that he would gain great fame for his strength if he could break free from the chains. Fenrir wanted his strength to be awed at and respected, for he could see that to survive on his own in this strange world he needed to try and make a new life and name for himself in Asguard, so he agreed to try on Dromi. He shook and strained and kicked until the fetter broke into several pieces, but all he won was more fear from those whose admiration he had sought to gain. 

Hearing of Fenrir’s triumph Odin sent for some dwarves to forge a silken fetter called Gleipnir made from the sound of a cats footfall, the beard of a woman, the roots of a mountain, the breath of a fish,the spittle of a bird and the sinews of a bear. When it was made the Gods took Fenrir to the island of Lyngvi and challenged him to see if he could break out from Glepnir. But Fenrir was no fool, he had his fathers’ cunning of mind and could see a trap clearly. He refused to put on the ribbon, claiming that it would bring him no fame if he broke it for it looked so flimsy and if he could not break it he knew they would leave him there, but the Gods insisted and Fenrir relent, requesting only that one of their hands be placed in his mouth as insurance that he would be released if he could no break free. All but Tyr were too scared to place their arm in Fenrir’s mouth, promising to let him free if he could not escape while the ribbon was tied around Fenrir’s legs. Fenrir fought against the ribbon but the harder he struggled the tighter they became and he could not break free. When the Gods made no attempt to free him from his binds and instead cruelly laughed at his plight did he realise that he had been betrayed by the only Asguardian he trusted, and in recompense bit Tyr’s hand off. Fenrir tried to fight the Gods as they secured his ropes to a large, unmovable rock but they pushed a sword through his jaws, ignoring his howls of pain, so that he could not close his mouth and bite them. And there they left him, alone and bleeding, tied to a rock from which he could not escape. Tyr could no longer be the God of truth and law for he no longer had a right hand to swear upon all that was sacred. This serves as a message to all that hear the story that those who seek to uphold the law must always be truthful and never betray those that look to them for justice or they will never again be trusted or be able to uphold the law. 

All of Loki’s children now hated the Gods; loneliness, pain, fear, anger and spite burning bright in their hearts and would gladly rise against Asguard when Ragnarok, the battle at the end of the world, comes. For this is the problem with prophecies, they are but a dream until belief is given to them and it is belief, and only belief, in them that causes them to come true. If the Gods had not believed the portents then they would not have stolen Loki’s children and so the children would not hate them and wish revenge for their broken family..

Now, I am sure you are wondering what had happened to Loki in this story, for he is not the type to let those who attack his family walk away freely. Loki searched for his children but by the time he reached Asgaurd he was too late, they had been sent far away to where he could not follow. Loki decided to stay in Asguard, for it had once been his home and he had no other home to return to – the loss of one child is often enough to end a marriage and the loss of all three children had destroyed all that he and Angrbora held dear. The loss of his children changed something within Loki and the sharp mind and silver tongue which had once been used for laughter and adventure turned to spite, hatred and a desire for revenge, or was it justice – he could not tell.

During his time in Asguard Loki would not help but watch how Frigg fuss over her son Baldr, the child of Loki’s blood brother Odin. Odin, the all father, who had betrayed him and destroyed his family without a second thought to their bond. The Gods loved Baldr, the god of happiness, light and joy, with the same ferocity that they had hated Loki’s children and it made him seethe with rage that Baldr should be so cherished and his children so despised based solely on their looks and their heritage. 

Frigg who was gifted with foresight, saw that Baldr would be slain and so set out to ask everything in the realm to not hurt her son. Now you have already heard my warning about dreams being made prophecies by the addition of belief, and some say that in Friggs belief in this prophecy she sealed Baldr’s fate, though others say that Baldr’s death was sealed by the last prophecy the God’s believed and fate was already hard at work delivering Baldr to Hel’s hands. 

Loki sat at the long table in the great hall, listening to the Aesir talking and laughing as though they had not just cast three children out into the far corners of the worlds without a second thought. The Gods were hanging on to Baldr’s every word as he spouted vapid philosophy “If someone slaps you on the cheek, turn and offer him the other”. Loki expected the Aesir to turn and laugh at Baldr, he looked to Thor, the God of Thunder, who spent so much of his time slaying people from Loki’s and Angrbora’s races for much smaller slights than a slap, but to his confusion he saw Thor nodding in agreement rather than scorning Baldr’s foolishness. Loki was filled with anger that such empty words would be taken so seriously. Of course for Baldr it was no problem to turn the other cheek, for all that he would get was another slight slap. For those like Loki they had to fight, as if they did not it would be more than a soft palm that would strike them, for no one would give them equality on a silver platter, everything had to be won with quick of wit and fire in his heart and everything could be taken away as quickly as a gust of wind extinguishes a candle. It angered Loki that Baldr did not see how his philosophy was one that could only be applied with benefit to those in Baldr’s position, by the luck of his birth he was born to a race with power, and born to the family with the most power in that race, and with the beauty of fair skin and flowing blonde hair that was so coveted by the people won him love and affection, and opened doors to him that would forever remain closed to others of lesser luck in the lottery of birth– a gift his children could never have possessed due to the heritage of their birth which caused them to be considered monsters rather than seeing the true beauty of their form. “In any dispute it is six of one and half a dozen of the other” Baldr waxed, confirming to Loki’s mind that he had no respect, understanding or gratitude for his life and luck of his birth. Life was never fair, and those who seek to defend are not responsible for the fight as those who attacked. It was then that Loki resolved to bring about the end of Baldr, for one who does not treasure the gift he has does not deserve to keep it.

However, as you may remember Frigg had asked everything in the land to not hurt Baldr, which posed a problem for Loki; how can you kill a man without a weapon? Still pondering this question Loki followed the warriors as they went outside to spar together, he watched them throw weapons of all manner and kind at Baldr and watch them bounce off him leaving no mark. Realising that he could not make bricks without clay and the clay needed for this work was information Loki turned himself into an old woman. In this form he approached Frigg and asked her if she had truly asked every rock, tree and creature in Asguard to not harm her son Baldr. Frigg confirmed that she had travelled the whole realm and asked every single thing she had met on her journey to not harm him and not a single one refused. Loki thought for a few seconds, there must have been something she had missed he told himself, especially when tired and at the end of her journey. People always assume that their home is safe and so Loki looked around for something that could be easily overlooked. Spying some mistletoe growing on one of the oak trees he asked Frigg “did you ask even that sprig of mistletoe?” Surprised Frigg answered that she had not noticed the mistletoe until now, but it was such an innocent and small plant it could do no harm.

Loki snuck away and transformed back into his normal self. Cutting down the mistletoe he shaped it into a small dart. Returning to the site of the God’s sparring he spied Hor, Baldr’s blind brother, sitting on his own. Approaching him he asked why Hor should be left out of the games, for being blind had not stopped him being a noble warrior and for the others to leave him out of their games was an unjust slight, Hor should be respected as an equal and therefore allowed to join in the games as any other Aesir would. Hor, inspired by these words, stated that Loki was right, but alas he did not have a weapon with him as he had not intended to join in. Loki remarked that Hor was in luck as he never was weaponless and would be happy to lend Hor one on the condition it was returned to him. He handed Hor the mistletoe arrow and guided him to where the others stood, tossing cabers at Baldr. Hor eager to prove himself as an equal among the others, threw the dart towards the sound of his brothers voice with much might. Instead of bouncing off of Baldr like the other weapons it pierced Baldr’s neck right through and he was dead before he hit the floor. The God’s were so shocked they did not see Loki transform once more into an old lady and sneak away.

Frigg, distraught at her son’s death, traveled to Hel to ask for her to return her beloved son to her. However, Hel was not eager to return the man that her father had sent to her, especially at the request of those who had cast her out in to this world. Why should the tears of Frigg crying for her son melt Hel’s heart when her own pleas to be reunited with her family had fallen deaf on Frigg’s ears. Now the tables were turned Hel was not willing to give away the upper hand so fast, yet she did not want to be like those who she hated for their betrayal, she wanted to show them that she was better than them but also a great power to be revered. A plan formed in her mind that would show the house of Odin that she cared no more for them than for any other Aesir, (which would be quite a slight for a house so used to being so revered), for in the eyes of death all are equal, while also demonstrating her power and might that could have her once captors dance for her like puppets on a string. And so she told Frigg that if every single person in Asguard cried for Baldr then she would release him to the world of the living, but if anyone failed to shed a single tear for Baldr then he would remain with her until Ragnarok. 

Upon Frigg’s return and relaying of the terms of Hel’s bargain everyone on Asguard cried for Baldr, everyone but one old lady. Frigg sought out this old lady and was surprised to find that it was the same old lady she had spoken to on the day of her son’s death. Frigg begged the old crone to cry for Baldr, but the old lady refused saying “any pain you feel is felt threefold in my heart but I have learnt not to cry for them and so I will not cry for your son.” These words confirmed the suspicions Frigg held, “I know it is you, Loki” she snarled as she walked away “and I will make you pay for this”. She hoped her threats would make Loki change his mind and cry for Baldr, but Loki’s heart was at peace for the first time since his children had been taken for he felt that justice had been done and so he had no tears to cry, especially over a foolish son of Odin. Thus Baldr could not return to the world of the living and remained in Hel’s domain. 

As for Loki he left Asguard and once again found love, this time with a goddess called Sigyn, they built a home together in the woods by a river. Together they had two son’s Narfi, carried by Sigyn, and Vali carried underneath Loki’s heart for nine months before being born into the world. This is the importance of justice and punishment for wrong deeds, as with them those who have been wronged are given freedom from the chains of guilt, loss and sorrow, and are allowed to move on to pastures new. Though Loki’s new family could not replace the one he lost, he loved them both equally, and though the pain and anger that burned in his heart was never extinguished it become a bearable smoldering that only sparked alight when he thought of those he dined in Odin’s halls that had lied to him and to themselves. 

And so ends this particular story, but it is not the last, nor the first of the many stories of Loki Laufeyson the flame-haired and silver tongued God of lies and mischief. More will be told, but not today, so for now go and remember to show your love for those you hold dear at this moment in time, because nothing stays the same and change is inevitable, to think otherwise is to lie to yourself and Loki will see through every lie you tell yourself and expose the truth underneath.


End file.
